Archive for the ‘Seafood’ Category

This shrimp dish is inspired from a memorable vacation my mom and I took to Greece. We island hopping and feasted on fish fresh from the sea. This recipe pulls from the deliciousness of feta and other Mediterranean flavors and goes well with couscous or some fresh crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

You will need:

2 T olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and sliced thin

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 c grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped

2 T capers, chopped

2 t oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (feel free to leave the tails on if you want)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 c feta, crumbled

Then you will…

In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.

Gambas al Ajillo is a delicious Spanish dish, especially if you like seafood and garlic. There are a few steps here that can be done in advance, like preparing the seasoned olive oil. This will keep the day-of cooking down to a minimum.

You will need:

10 cloves garlic, peeled

1 lb large shrimp, peeled with shells reserved

1/2 c olive oil, divided

1/2 t salt

1/2 t paprika

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1 t sherry vinegar

Then you will…

Mince 4 cloves of the garlic.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic, salt, paprika and lemon zest.

Toss the shrimp with the olive oil seasoning mixture. Set aside.

Crush 4 cloves of the garlic.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over low heat.

Add the crushed garlic with the shrimp shells and red pepper flakes.

Cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes. You want to keep the oil at a gentle simmer.

Strain the hot oil through a fine sieve to remove the shrimp shells and cooked garlic. (You can throw away the used shells and garlic).

Thinly slice the remaining two cloves of garlic.

Return the hot oil to the skillet on medium heat.

Add the sliced garlic to the skillet and sauté until just starting to brown.

Add the shrimp, lemon juice and sherry vinegar.

Sauté for 2 minutes.

Season the shrimp to taste and serve with crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

My mom bought some lobster tails for the holidays. We debated how to prepare them, and the final decision was to try poaching them in butter. It takes some time to get the butter poaching liquid ready, but the end result is some melt-in-your-mouth tender treats. This is definitely a special recipe for celebrations.

You will need:

2 T water

6 sticks unsalted butter, cold (I used a mixture of unsalted butter and butter mixed with olive oil that we had on hand)

4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

1 t cracked pepper

6-8 oz lobster tails, removed from shells and cleaned

Then you will…

In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the water till boiling.

Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time.

Continue whisking in the butter until you have enough to cover the lobster tails.

Add the garlic cloves and allow to infuse over low heat for 5-10 minutes while whisking.

Like this:

My mom made this dip for our families to enjoy before our wedding. It was a big hit with everyone during our family gathering. This dip is a nice alternative to shrimp cocktail or other hot dips you might serve at your next big event. Enjoy!